Controlling mechanism for elevator-cars



C. W. PEELLE.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, I918. 1,356,998. Patented Oct. 26,1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

( r/we Hm J14 "om (73M I c. w. PEELLE. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR CARS.

APPLICATION man JULY s, 1918. Patented Oct. 26,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNIT ED STATES- "PATIENT OF ICE enemies w. PEELLE, or NEW YORK, v, Y, ASSIGNOR To THE :PEELLE COM ANY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

' CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVA 'IQI R-CARS.

Specification Letters Patent. i Patented-Oct, 26, 1920,

Application filed Jul s, 1918. Serial no. 243,434.

To all whom it'ma'y concern." i. l

1% it known'that I, 'GHAnnns V. PEELLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hollis, in the borough of Queens, city of New York, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanisms for Elevator-Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof My invention relatesto controlling mechanisms for elevator cars, and more particularly to a mechanism actuated by the move;- ment of any door in a shaft, to prevent applicationof power to a car except when all of the doors in a shaft are. closed. 1

' Heretofore there has been devised and used a controllingmechanism for elevator cars embodying an electric make and break mechanism operativ'ely connected with all of the doors in a shaft, said mechanism either being arranged in a circuit to the controller upon. the car, or in a circuit to a solenoid, the actuation of which controls a clutch mechanismacting upon a shipper cable. The

type of mechanism above referred to, necessitates the employment of an electric circuit, while in some elevator installations such a circuit is not available. Furthermore, it is sometimes undesirable to rely upon an electric circuit for preventing movement of a car while a door in the shaft is open. 7

It has been suggested, prior to the development of the electrical device above rc-' ferred to, to use various devices operative upon the shipper cable upon mechanical or hydraulic elevator rars,'but such devices have not gone into extensive use. Electrical devices, however, are now, and'have been extensively used. V

A controlling mechanism madein accord ance with my invention is designed particularly for use with mechanical or hydraulic elevators, wherein thernotive power is controlled by a shipper cable, or other mechanical device, and wherein the installation does not include electrical devices, the current to'which may be utilized in a safetyappliance for preventing movement of the car while a door is open.

In the practice of my invention, I provide a single controlling mechanism acting upon the clutch controlling the shipper cable, and actuating means therefor, including thereina sliding weight operatively connected with all of the doors in a shaft. The construction and adjustment ofthis mechawhen the door has been completely closed. The functionings of the controlling mecha 'nism are automatic throughout, and may not be tampered with in a manner to permit the actuation of the shipper cable except when all of the doors in a shaft are fully closed. I w

controlling mechanism, made the subject matter of my lIlVGlltiOlLjlS supplemental to the ordinary lock on the doors, constitut- Said actuating means, is so constructed and arranged as to be capable of use with any type'of door, whether of the vertically sliding, laterally sliding, or hinge type, and it may be as readily applied toa vertically sliding doorof the truckable type. or of the telescoping type, the operation of the controlling mechanism being substantially identical, irrespective of the type of door to which it is applied.

The main ob'ect of the invention is to provide a controlling mechanism of the type to whichmy invention relates, wherein the shipper cable, or other means for controlling the power for the car, will'be made inop erative by asingleicontrolling mechanism, purely mechanical in all of its functions. common to all of the doors in a shaft, and so constructed and arranged that theopening of any door will prevent the actuation of saidshipper cable, or other-device, and so maintainit until the opened door has again been closed to an extent to cause, the lock power can scribed, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary portion of an elevator shaft showing two doors of the truckable type, and having a' controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention, applied thereto; 7

Fig. 2 is a detail view upon a larger scale, ofthe portion of the controlling mechanism operative upon the clutch;

Fig. 3 is section on line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vie. of aportion of an elevator shaft having therein doors of the telescoping type, with my invention applied there Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the invention applied to laterally sliding doors, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, a View of a portion of an elevator shaft showing double swinging doors and a cross-sectional view thereof on a larger scale, a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention being shown in connection therewith.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. l of the drawings, I have shown an embodiment of the invention as'applied to a type of door known as a truckable door, consisting of two door sections, a and b, arranged at each door opening in the elevator shaft, said sections moving vertically :in the same plane, but in opposite directions, when opening and closing the door. The

said sections are provided with a suitable lock 0, operative when the doors are in the closed position. The two sections are connected by means of suitably mounted cables (Z, insuring their simultaneous movement.

The section b is provided with a. laterally extending hanger bar Y), to which the cables d are connected. mounted upon suitable rails or guides in the usual and well known manner.

Ordinarily a series of such doors are mounted in an elevator shaft, the door openings being positioned one above the other, so that the various hanger bars Z) are all in the same vertical plane and extend parallel with each other. This general construction is old and well known in this art, and merely exemplifies one type of door in connection with which my invention may be employed. i

In the type of elevator installation shown in the accompanying drawings, the power for actuating the elevator car, which car is indicated at E, is controlled by a shipper The doors (6 and b are of which are such as to permit them to normally pass through said sleeve. This sleeve forms a part of a clutch mechanism for preventing movement of the shipper cable, the other and movable member of this clutch mechanism being a slide 7' adapted to be projected within the sleeve in a position between the blocks 6 and a so as to prevent their passage through said sleeve. This construction is old and well known in this art, it having been a common practice heretofore to actuate the movable clutch member by means of a solenoid, which solenoid is energized and de'e' nergized by a meclr anism controlling the circuit to the solenoid, to make said movable member operative, or inoperative. This mechanism was actuated by the movement of any elevator door in a shaft.

A slide f is mounted in the fitting f supporting the sleeve 7 and is acted upon by a spring having a normal tendency to thrust the slide 7 within the sleeve Mounted upon suitable guide rails g, adjacent the sleeve f, is a sliding weight 72. operatively connected with each door in the elevator shaft, by means of the strip or cable 1i, passing through an opening in, and carrying'blocks i engaging the hanger bar 7) of each door in a shaft. i

To insure the desired movement of the strip or cable 2', I provide the lower end thereof with a weight j which will always hold said strip or cable taut, but being of insufiicient weight to overbalance the weight it.

At the bottom of the tracks or guides g, is a base plate 9' supporting the actuating means for the slide f, whereby said slide will be withdrawn from within the sleeve 7 when all of the doors in a shaft are closed. This means comprises a rocking lever A: mounted upon the plate g and connected by the slot and pin connection 7r with the slide 7'. Also mounted upon the plate 9' is a bracket having pivotally mounted thereon, a suitably formed lever, one arm a of which is arranged in the path of movement of the weight It, and the other arm o of which isadapted to operatively engage the rocking lever 76. The design of the lever 7.1 may be varied to secure the desired quantity of, and timing, in the movement of the slide f. i l

Bythis mechanism the spring f is utilized not only to actuate the slide f,-but also to set the actuating means for withdrawing said slide from within the sleeve, in a manner to cause the movement of the Weight to be oper- In this form of the invention, the blocks 71' upon the strip 11, instead of operatively en-' gaging a hanger bar upon the doors, engage an extension 29 upon the counterweight p. In other respects the construction of the controlling mechanis'm'is the same a shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

' In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, I have illustratedthe application of the invention to an elevator door of the lat erally sliding type, this requiring merely the modification of the details in connect ing the weight it with the door.

In this form of the invention, I connect the strip or cable 2' with an endlessstrip q passing around suitable rollers r, r, r? and r arranged in pairs at the top and at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Extending from, and secured to, the reach 9 of said endless strip 9 are branch strips g extending about rollers s and s at opposite sides of each door opening, to the reach g upon the other side of the door openings, toswhich they are secured. Said branch strip or cable passes through an opening in a bracket 15 carried by the door proper u, having a free sliding fit in said bracket, and is provided with a block 1) adapted to engage said bracket.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7,, I' haveshown the invention as applied to double swinging elevator doors, this form of the invention like that shown in Fig. 5, requiring merely the modification of the connection between the weight 71 and the several doors .in the shaft' a 1 In this form of the invention, I employ a strip (7 having the same general arrangement as illustrated in connection with Fig. 5, this strip being endless and passing about rollers 1, r, r and r The reach 1 is provided with blocks e0 adapted to be engaged lay-rings w carried by extension stripsor cables 10 passing over the rollers w, adjacent the door opening, and the roller 40 carried by one of the swinging doors at, and being which has been opened,

of the shipper cable 6 to an extent to apply power tothe car.

In Figs. 5 to 7, theclutch mechanism, and parts appurtenant thereto, are not illustrated, the forms ofthe invention shown in said views relating merely to the manner of applying power to the weight h, and not involving any mechanical. variation in the mechanism omitted from said views.

The operationof the herein described de-' vice is substantially as follows I lleferring more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, whenall of the doors in an elevator shaft are closed, the weight it will,

through the connecting strip or cable hold eachof the blocks 2" upon said strip or cable,-*in engagement with its associated hanger barb of each door in the shaft. The load of the weight h is applied to the arm n of the lever acting upon 'thcirocking lever 70, in a manner to oscillate said lever h in the manner indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, and thus withdraw the slide f from within the sleeve f, and present an unobstructed passage for the blocks 6 and a through said sleeve. Under this condition, the ship;

per cable 6 may be actuated in either direction to apply power to the car.

When a car stops at any floor in a shaft, however, and the operator opens the door, as the section a moves upwardly, the section Zrmoves downwardly, and the'hanger bar 7) thereon, through its engagement with the block 1" associated therewith, raises the movable member or weight it through the connecting strip or cable 11 carrying said block.

With the ascent of said weight 72,, the spring will project the slide f within the sleeve f. and since when a car is brought to rest, the blocks (2 and 6 will be positioned beyond opposite ends of the sleeve 7, said slide will be interposed between said blocks in a manner to prevent such subsequent movement of the cable 6 as will apply power to the car. This movement of the slide 7 un- ,der the control of this spring 7'. will rock the lever 76, and through said lever, the lever n0, in a manner to set thenctuating mechanism for said slide prepar-(ltory to the dc scent-of the weight.

The weight is used in part as a counterweight to the weight 7 and in part to hold the strip or cable taut, so that with the opening'of one door, the blocks 73 associated with the hanger bars of all other doors in a shaft. will move away from their associated hanger'bars, and thus avoid the possibility of the fouling of said strip or cable.

Before the operator may apply power to i the car, it is necessary to first close any open door. the closing movement of the door pen,

mitting the weight k to descend and causing block 1 1', I the d001,? belng closed, to follow the hanger ice associated with the hanger bar of bar until the door is completely closed. hen the door has been practically closed, each of the blocks i will be in the operative relation to its associated hanger bar.

As the weight it approaches the limit of its downward movement, it engages the lever arm it, thus causing the other arm 0 of this lever to rock the-lever k in a manner to retract the slide f against the tension of the spring 7, and thus withdraw said slide from within the sleeve f and permit movement of the shipper cable 6. y

The pin and slot connection between the lever 70 and the slide f permits the operation above described.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the operation is identical with that heretofore described in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 3, the sole difference being that the weight it is actuated through the strip or cable 71 by the descent of the counterweight pinstead of by the descent of the door itself. I

The actuation of the slide f, and the actuation mechanism therefor, in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, is identical with that heretofore described, this form of I the invention differing from the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 merely in the manner of actuating the weight 7a through the strip or cable 2'. When thedoor u is moved to the right in opening the door, the bracket t will exert a thrust upon the block e, which, through the branch strip or cable g will move the endless strip or cable q about the various pulleys r 1", 1' and 1. This movement of the strip or cable 9 will, through the strip or cable 2', raise the weight. The movement of the endless strip or cable 9 will result from the pullthereon from the branch strip or cable thus causing an upward movement of the reach 9 and a downward movement of the reach During this movement the blocks 0 associated with other doors in the shaft, will move away from their cooperating brackets t.

Upon the closing of the door the weight It will impart such travel to the endless strip or cable g as to cause the block o of the open door to follow the door in its closing movement, and the blocks 11 upon other doors to resume their normal position in close juxtaposition to their cooperating brackets.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, differs from that of the form shown in Fig. 5 merely in the manner in which the door applies the actuating power to the strip or cable 2'.

In this form of the invention, if either door :0 or m be open, it will exert a pull upon the strip or cable w which, through the ring 20 will impart travel to the endless strip or cable q in a manner to raise the weight k. This results from the passing of the extension strip or cable it about the pulley 'w upon one door and attaching the end thereof to the other door. With this construction it is impossible to move either door without exerting a pull upon said strip or cable 10, and hence neither door can be opened without developing conditions preventing the cable 9 associated with other doors, will move from the ring 70 of the branch strip or cable to of that door.

As the door is closed, the stresses upon the endless strip or cable 9 will be relieved,

thus permitting the weight It to descend and 1 actuate the clutch mechanism in a manner to permit the application of power to the car. This closing movement of the doors, will create slack in the extension strip or cable 10, which slack will be taken up by the movement of the endless strip or cable q during the movement thereof, imparted thereto by the weight it and the connection 2'.

It will be observed that in a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention, the device for preventing the actuation of the shipper cable, or other similar device, to apply power to the car, is purely mechanical throughout, and consists of a single mechanism operatively connected with each. doorin a shaft. In this manner the installation of the elevator door equipment is veiymucli simplified, and the clutch mechanism controlling the shipper cable, may be so positioned as to be inaccessible to the operator of the car, thus lending an additional factor of security in the elevator equipment.

The actuating means for the movable member ofthe clutch mechanism, being controlled entirely by the movement of the doors, may be so set as to avoid any possibility. of the application of power to the car except when all doors in a shaft are closed. While the strip or cable 11 may be accessible to the car operator, it will be observed that it cannot be used by the operator to release the shipper cable in a manner to permit application of power to the car, so long as any door is open, since its movement, resulting in the withdrawal of the slide, is not possible except with a closing movement of the door.

It is apparent that a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention is not only capable of application to various types of elevator doors, but may be readily applied to different types of doors in the same elevator shaft.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied with out departing from the spirit" and scope of the invention. I a Having described the invention what 1 claim as new, and desire to have protected by'Letters Patent, is g l. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a cable controlling the application of power to a car,having two adjacent blocks thereon, a sleeve through which said cable and said blocks are adapted to'pass, a slide adapted to enter said sleeve, a spring having a normal tendency to thrust said slide within said sleeve, a movable impact member, operative connections between said impact member and each door in an elevator shaft whereby said member will have movement coextensive with that of the opening and closing movement of the door, anoscillatory lever so positioned as to be engaged by said impact member substantially simultaneously with the limit of the full closingmovement of any door, and to be disengaged thereby substantially simultaneouslyv with the initial opening movement of any door and operative connections between said lever and said slide, whereby said slide will be actuated by said spring to prevent movement of said cable when any door in a shaft is open, and will be retracted to permit movement of said cable only when all doors in a shaft 7 are closed, and said spring will normally maintain said lever in the operative relation to said impact member.

2. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a cable controlling the application of power to a car, having two adjacent blocks thereon, a sleeve through which said cable and said blocks are adapted to pass, a slide adapted to enter said sleeve, a spring having a normal tendency to thrust said slide within said sleeve, a movable impact member, operative connections between said impact member and each door in an elevator shaft, an oscillatory lever arranged in the path of movement of said impact member and adapted to be engaged thereby when all doors in a shaft are closed, and a lever adapted to be engaged by said first named lever and to operatively engage said slide, whereby said slide will be actuated by said spring to prevent movement of said cable when any door in a shaft is open, and will be retracted to permit movement of said cable only when all doors in a shaft are closed, and said spring will normally maintain said lever in the operative relation to saidimpact member. 1 Q

3. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a cable controlling the application of power to a car, having two adjacent blocksthereon, a sleeve through which said cable and said blocks are adapted to pass, a slide adapted to entersaid sleeve, a

spring having a normal tendency to thrust said slidewithin said sleeve, a movable impact member, operative connections between said impact member and each door in an elevator shaft, a compound lever system, the hrst'lever of which s arranged in the path of, and adaptedfito' beengaged by, said impact member, when all doors in a shaft are closed, and" the last lever of whichacts upon said slide, whereby said slide will be actuated by said springto prevent movement of said cable when any door in a shaft is. open,

and will be retracted to permit movement of said cable only when all doors in a shaft are closed, and said spring will normally maintain said lever in the operative relation to said impact member. s

a. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a cable controlling J lever of which is arranged in the path of,

and adapted to be engaged by, said weight when all doors in a shaft are closed, the last to permit movement of said cable only when all doors in a shaft are closed, and said spring will normally maintain said lever in the operative relation to said impact member.

5. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a cable controlling the application of power to a car, having two adjacent blocks'thereon, a sleeve through which said cable and said blocks are adapted to pass, a slide adapted to enter said sleeve, a spring having a normal tendency to thrust said slide within said sleeve, a vertically sliding weight, operative connections between said weight and each-door in an elevator shaft, a rocking lever, one arm of which is operatively connected with said slide, and a second lever mounted adjacent the lowermost position of said weight, with one arm thereof projected in the path of -movement thereof, and with the other arm thereof in operative engagement with the other arm of said rocking lever, whereby the engagement of said weight with said last named lever will retract said slide and permit movement of said cable to apply power to a car taneously with the initial opening movement of the door, said spring acting through said slide upon'said lever to restore said lever to its normal operative relation to said Weight, whereby said slide Wlll be actuated by said spring to prevent movement of said cable when any door in a shaft is open, and will be retracted to permit movement of said cable only when all doors in a shaft are 10 closed, and said spring will normally maintaint said lever in the operative'relation to said impact member.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature, this 26th day of June, 1918, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. 15

OHi-XRLESW PEELLE.

' Witnesses:

' F. T. WENTWO TH, A. E. REN'roN. 

